The Word "Hebrew": Insights into the Hebrew Language

Jews are also referred to as Hebrews. What can this name tell us about the character of Jews?

What's in a name? A Mercedes is called a Mercedes because the car's inventor named it after his daughter. Nylon, at least according to one theory, is an acronym for New York – London, two cities associated with the material's development. Neither name describes the essence of the object known by the name. Names are generally mere symbols used to identify one object or another, but not to describe the essence of a thing.

In Hebrew, a rose by any other name is not necessarily a rose. Every Hebrew name has an inner meaning and provides us with insight into that which is described. Our Sages even applied this to people's names and explained that parents have an almost prophetic inspiration when they choose a child's name. Therefore, a name change can have a profound impact on an individual, including changing his destiny. For example, there was a man named Avram who was destined to remain childless. But Avraham, the same person with a new name, would give rise to nations.

The very word "Hebrew" demonstrates this idea. The Jews are called, among other things, "Hebrews" and the Jewish language is known by the same name. If a name stems from a deeper root, then the very name Hebrew should give us an insight into the Jewish people.

Ivri

The word Hebrew comes from the word Ivri, a term used to describe our forefather Abraham. The word literally means "from the other side." Geographically Abraham came from the other side of the river, probably a reference to the Jordan since he came from Mesopotamia (modern day Iraq) to Canaan (Israel) on the other side. He was also both the physical and spiritual heir of Ever, Noah's great-great-grandson (hence the name Ivri) who lived on a higher spiritual plane than most of the world.

Abraham was on one side and the entire world was on the other.

Our Sages explained that there is another meaning in the name Ivri. It is a name that also reflects an ideological other side; Abraham was on one side and the entire world was on the other. A deeper look at the story of Abraham provides us with a unique insight into just how alone and unique he was in a world which was his polar opposite.

One Man against the World

Abraham lived to see the entire world rebel against God. They conspired together to build a tower to reach the heavens. Some wanted to ascend and wage war, others to worship idols there, and some just wanted to remain there, high above the world in a place of power that defied God's dominion. They were otherwise unified in their efforts to build what we know as the Tower of Babel. King Nimrod, a charismatic demagogue and master of persuasion, led their cause and he was determined to recruit every human being in the world to his movement because he understood the overwhelming force of unanimity.

Yet there was one individual who absolutely refused to join: Abraham. This irked Nimrod and his followers to no end, for they knew that their absolute unity in purpose gave them unbelievable power. They finally convinced themselves that Abraham's opposition was meaningless since they saw in the stars that Abram, his name at the time, would not bear children, which in their eyes meant that his mark on the world would be immaterial. What they did not know was that God would change his name to Abraham, a person who would give birth to a movement that would forever change the world and render them, not him, irrelevant.

Ponder the loneliness of having the entire world publicly against you.

Imagine what it must have been like to be Abraham. Ponder the loneliness of having the entire world publicly against you, while you remain stalwart in your faith and cling tenaciously to that which you know is right. Yet all the ridicule would not move Avraham.

Our Sages relate that Terach, Abraham's father, owned an idol shop and one day asked young Abraham to mind the store. Avraham was raised to worship idols and did so with his family, but something nagged at him. He was so underwhelmed by the naivete of a customer who believed that man-made gods could help that he broke all of the idols, save the largest one in whose hand he placed the hammer that smashed the others. When his father returned and ask how all the idols were destroyed, young Avraham smugly responded that the large idol had killed all the others. Terach brought his son to King Nimrod to teach him a lesson, but Nimrod soon discovered that no matter what he would argue, Avraham would outsmart him. Exasperated, he sentenced Avraham to death and threw him into a blazing furnace. Miraculously, Abraham emerged unscathed.

Abraham's lonely determination paid off. Ultimately, the same Abraham who had been utterly alone in his faith and shunned by the world, convinced thousands to cross over to his side. He merited fame, wealth, and power and the world soon looked to him for guidance.

It was he who determined the map of the world and even the balance of power. The world saw its first war during his lifetime, and one of the sides made the sorry mistake of capturing Lot, who was both Abraham's nephew and brother in law. He joined the war and determined its outcome so decisively that in its aftermath, the local powers asked him to rule over them and he minted his own currency which was the most desired throughout the world. This all began with Avraham being the sole voice against the many.

Transcending the World

There is an even deeper meaning in the name Ivri and Avraham being on the "other side." The Torah said that God took Abraham "outside" and said habet na hashomayma, please gaze upon the heavens, count the stars, if you can, for such will be your children. Our rabbis observed that the Hebrew word habet means to gaze from above. Therefore it is explained that God took Abraham outside of the entire universe and Abraham looked down upon the stars. What meaning is there in Abraham's extra-terrestrial experience at the exact moment he was promised many children?

The inner meaning of being an Ivri is transcendence, the ultimate "other side" one can achieve. That means that as descendents of Abraham we have the ability to leave the system of natural cause and effect that governs the world, including the mystical influence the planetary bodies have on the earth. This gift to Abraham and to us, his spiritual descendents, means that while the rules of science or astrology may suggest one conclusion, we have the power and license to turn to God and ask for another. Abraham himself could not have children and his wife also did not even have a womb. Yet he received the gift of transcendence, which meant that for Abraham and his descendents anything would be possible.

A Nation of Ivriim

The Jewish people received this gift nationally – the ability to go beyond the rules of nature and exist in an entirely different plane. God called himself the God of the Ivrim in connection with the Exodus from Egypt. Our Sages explained that we earned that name when we passed through the Red Sea which split for us; the word Ivri also means to pass through to the other side.

An entire nation stood in a place that was not and could not naturally have been the habitat of human beings. They passed through the heart of the sea. Imagine the surreal experience of millions of people watching the fish glide by in the towering walls of water on either side, as the entire nation traversed it without so much as a drop of mud on their shoes. In contrast, moments later their pursuers drowned in the depths of the path they had just traversed. That other worldly experience was an integral part of our becoming a nation in fulfillment of the promise made to Abraham as he looked down upon the stars from the other side of the universe.

Being Jewish is about standing up for what we believe is right, regardless of popular opinion and practice.

The parallel is clear – we are a nation of Ivriim. We stand alone and, if we connect to who we really are, we have the power to transcend what appear to be the immutable rules of nature. History best illustrates this idea. What other nation has suffered so much for its belief system and has nonetheless clung tenaciously to it and not only survived but thrived? Empires have risen and fallen, and the laws of nature would have had the same happen to us, but we're still here.

We are called Hebrews, Ivriim, because we inherited that legacy of Abraham. We are a lonely people, persecuted throughout most of history. Generation after generation tried to convince us we are wrong. Sometimes those efforts appeared polite and more often they were accompanied by the sword. To be a Jew historically meant trouble. It meant exclusion from guilds, second class citizenship at best, and being the scapegoat for society's problems. Yet we remained and remain to this day apart and unique in our faith and customs. We maintain our national language and distinct identity, and despite our small numbers, have persevered in a way that no other people have or could have. This is so despite centuries of temptation to abandon our heritage. Jews are different, and are proud of it.

Being Jewish can at times be lonely, but the generations that preceded us knew it was worth it. This knowledge held up even if it meant being an Ivri, standing alone on one side with the world taunting us from the other. Our ancestors who had, at best, a fraction of the culinary and cultural conveniences we have today, clung to their heritage. Intercity coach trips across Eastern Europe or North Africa hardly had the kosher food option every major airline offers today.

Being Jewish is about standing up for what we believe is right, regardless of popular opinion and practice. We are promised that ultimately the nations of the world will look to us for moral guidance just like they revered our forefather Abraham's counsel. Until then, we need the strength to live up to our name – even if means being an Ivri when we find ourselves on the other side of public opinion.

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About the Author

Rabbi Doniel Baron is a senior lecturer at Aish HaTorah's Discovery Seminar. He received his law degree from NYU School of Law and practiced law at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft. He presently lives in Jerusalem with his wife and children.

The opinions expressed in the comment section are the personal views of the commenters. Comments are moderated, so please keep it civil.

Visitor Comments: 16

(14)
Marite,
February 15, 2014 3:49 AM

Ivriim

My Jewish ancestor was a marrano and knew he had to convert for his family's future. But he left a legacy on our family coat-of-arms which I only understood recently. Inscribed in Spanish are the words, "this sword will break, but the more my faith will prevail". He knew the cost.

(13)
Anonymous,
February 11, 2014 8:05 PM

What about IVRI regarding IVRIT - the language of G-D and Torah - unique and unlike any other - the great miracle of rebirth and revival.And why is it so disregarded and overlooked in the diaspora?

(12)
Zvi,
February 11, 2014 6:54 PM

was "Hebrew" ever explained ?

How did Ivri become Hebrew ?

(11)
Dermont Ifill,
February 11, 2014 6:21 PM

very insightfull and helpfull to me understanding God word,his chosen people and why we should stand with Israel.

(10)
vumbi,
March 7, 2013 4:20 PM

amazing!

am a christian, but whenever I visit this website I gain a new insight, this is amazing, thanks rabi

(9)
Josepha,
January 3, 2008 1:05 PM

So Much!

This was helpful to me on a personal level and I wish to thank Rabbi Doniel Baron so much.

(8)
Pepe,
December 28, 2007 9:41 PM

what I missed.

From First comment Just when I needed it!>

(7)
Pepe,
December 28, 2007 9:00 PM

I am nobody.

Very ispiring your article. Yours reminded me of As when I reached the beginning of the universe,though I was already was there.I bow before the For so, I was . peace!

Louise,
January 9, 2012 10:05 AM

U R Created by The Creator.

PePe,
I disagree. You are not a nobody. You are God's creation: one who God loves and values. He desires your love and to spend time with you each day. Tell God. Talk to God. Share your feelings- all of them. God understands. And God will comfort... and you will have joy. Shalom Pepe

(6)
Daniela,
December 26, 2007 10:15 AM

To David N. Friedman

I have the PERFECT book for you !! Go out NOW and get "If You Were G-d" by Arieh Kaplan. It answers your exact question in a comprehensive, precise, short, very readable way. It will literally change your life!

(5)
David N. Friedman,
December 25, 2007 9:20 PM

A curious plan

Rabbi Baron, as a Jew, I can totally identify with Abraham's plight and the model in history a people set apart represents to the world.

And yet, for so many, this is a curious way for Hashem to spread his word and his wisdom throughout the world.

Since you are such a big part of the Discovery seminar, it would be interesting to hear you articulate why you think our Creator speaks to his creation through a plan that gave the Torah to the Hebrews. In part, spreading the Jews throughout the world makes sense but the story line of a small people apart in command of ultimate truth fails to convince those who are already with the program.

I am truly inspired by all those who have endured so much to pass this precious legacy to me and this day. As Michah proclaimed: "behold a good doctrine has been given unto you. Forsake it not." I will not.

It seems the world is not listening now and failed to listen in the past. The integrity of the message is good. The messenger is mediocre. The public response is not very good.

Yes, Ruth, Abraham is the father of 3 world religion as these religions understand him. However, Gd says specifically that He will establish His covenant with the offspring through Sarah. This covenantal relationship has key differences from Abraham's offspring by other women. Only the Ivri, the Nation of Israel, the Jews, have this covenantal relationship. We agreed to be Gd's Nation of Israel, our mission to bring LIght Unto the World. Gd has not let us out of this covenantal relationship, and so every human born of a Jewish woman is heir to this 'Holy Spirit', Ruach Hakodesh, and therefore belongs unequivocally to the Jewish People. Ruth, we are different from the Nation of the Others. In the Book of Jonah, Gd explains his fondness for all of His creation, and demands that Jonah honor his covenantal relationship with Him. Ruth, we are not looking down on others, but we are recognizing immutable differences, which can be lived out in mutual respect, live and let live. These differences do not have to end in warfare. The offspring of Ishmael celebrate themselves and take their identity from the father Abraham and Ishmael, the offspring of Hagar. Gd gives Abraham a 'comfort gift' for heeding Gd's word to listen to Sarah and to send Hagar and Ishmael back to Egypt (Mitzraim = 'exile'). What is this gift? Gd promises that Ishmael will be a Prince of many Nations. Gd also describes Ishamel as a 'wild-ass of a man', and, speaking in generalities, we can observe this trait in the Arab Nations. The Arab Nations continue to be livid about Gd's promise to make his covenant with Sarah's offspring, not with Hagar's. The Arab Nations do not accept Gd's word. They feel that Gd changes his mind every so often. The Christian people started this business with elevating the man Jeshu ben Miriam v' Joseph, to a Gd to be worshipped, and taking for themselves the power of Gd, declaring Gd's word null and void, and claiming to be the inheritor, the first-born so to say, of Gd's peoples. It is therefore no surprise that the Arab peoples see their opportunity here to usurp the power from the Christians and so elevate Mohammed as the arbiter of Gd's word. If Gd, accoring to the Chrisitians and the Arabs can change his mind with the 'New Testament' and the "Koran", perhaps He will change His mind again, and maybe yet again, and yet again. If, as the Christian Nations who come to the word of the man born of Miriam and the Roman soldier through their pagan lenses, have perverted the words of Jeshu, establishing a new church, which Jeshu clearly stated that he did not wish to do "I have come not to change one dot or tittle of The Law, but to fulfill it", time honored words of every Jewish man born to a Jewish woman. I find inter-faith dialogue of limited value. The Christians will not budge from their stance, for them they are the true inheritors of Gd's word from on high, supplanting and usurping the Jews, whom Gd Himself declares through his prophet Zechariah, to be His Chosen People, the 'apple of HIs eye', harkening back to his original covenant with Abraham and his offspring THROUGH SARAH. The Jews are Gd's first-born, HIs chosen people, chosen to be a Nation of Priests to bring Light into the World. Gd does not disparage The Nations of the Others, in fact, once again, in the Book of Jonah, He reiterates His love for and protection of His creation, all of it, including The Nations of the Others, even their 'cattle'. So we conclude, that if the Nations of the Others open up the covenantal relationship willy nilly, one sidedly, by deifying Jeshus, and putting words in his mouth, 70 years later, in order to form a church more to the liking of Saul who became Paul, then what is to stop the Arab Nations with coming up with the same idea and elevating Mohammed above Jeshu, above Gd Himself, and usurping Gd's promise to Abraham's offspring through Sarah? The Chrisitan Nations must recognize their error, and protect the Jewish poeple, by staying the murderous hands of the Arab nations and defending Gd's first-born, His Chosen People, the Jewish People. What an honor. It is also an honor to be the wife of my husband. Does this mean I must let another man into my bed in the name of 'inter-faith' ecumenism? Of course not, there is a boundary here that is respected. And just as this boundary is respected, so must the boundary between the Nation of Israel and the Nations of the Others be respected. This is a cause for celebration, for the dignity of difference. It is not a call to relativism. Respectfully differing, I remain yours, Gila Faith, bat Shmuel Joseph v' Brachah

Judyfaiths.,
October 31, 2013 11:42 PM

Thank you Gila

Very honest well written comment about Abrahamic faiths. Recently I read that Maimonides wrote that Hashem created these religions in order to bring them from paganism to monotheism to prepare them for moshiach's arrival. Spiritual evolution is an educational, experiential, cultural and personal process for all of us. I will read Jonah again with your comments in mind. Thank you.

(2)
ruth housman,
December 23, 2007 1:30 PM

the loneliness of the long distance runner

it's interesting to come to this commentary today since I have just visited with an interfaith group in Sherborn MA dedicated to world peace and the sharing of a unity present in the spiritual side of all religions. Abraham's Tent was the book being discussed and the group was discussing the Muslim interpretation in this book of this story.

I find all the word constructions and deconstructions in this piece very interesting as I am doing a walk across languages and so BABEL is very much in mind. You may not that Babble in English is about the equipotentiality of language in early childhood and so connects aurally to Babel, that story.

I was thinking today that when someone is intensely outside looking in on life it is the same as being on the inside, looking out. I think Abraham was gifted in that he perceived at a very high spiritual plane. Now this can be intensely lonely at the same time that it is a feeling of total connect.

I do perceive that Abraham's name contains much that is deep and ABRA is the beginning of the word to open as in Abrir. To move across languages is to perceive into the depths of all names.

I do believe that we are a family of man and that Abraham belongs as intensely to other religions as to ours. I do believe we need to be careful about placing ourselves as somehow separate from that sea of humanity which is our collective birthright.

(1)
Anonymous,
December 23, 2007 9:28 AM

Abraham's struggle was even lonelier than Rabbi Baron suggests.

Abraham's struggle was even lonelier than Rabbi Baron suggests. Despite Abraham's efforts to influence thousands by building altars wherever he went and Abraham & Sarah's incredible hospitality in their home, the Midrash suggests that the "Souls that they had made in Haran" did not follow them and eventually fell away (perhaps because he "forced" them to say brachos). Abraham also has a total of 8 children, but only one, Isaac, remains loyal to his faith system. (It is suggested that the children of the concubines were sent away in order to plant the seeds of monotheism among other nations). Abraham is called Ivri only when he learns that outreach is a process (vayarek es khanikhav); only then was he able to mobilize his disciples whom he had EDUCATED. Swimming against the tide is certainly noble, especially when everyone else is pagan and immoral. What's more important, however, is learning how to communicate the proper values effectively, so that others can swim along with enthusiasm and joy.

I've been striving to get more into spirituality. But it seems that every time I make some progress, I find myself slipping right back to where I started. I'm getting discouraged and feel like a failure. Can you help?

The Aish Rabbi Replies:

Spiritual slumps are a natural part of spiritual growth. There is a cycle that people go through when at times they feel closer to God and at times more distant. In the words of the Kabbalists, it is "two steps forward and one step back." So although you feel you are slipping, know that this is a natural process. The main thing is to look at your overall progress (over months or years) and be able to see how far you've come!

This is actually God's ingenious way of motivating us further. The sages compare this to teaching a baby how to walk. When the parent is holding on, the baby shrieks with delight and is under the illusion that he knows how to walk. Yet suddenly, when the parent lets go, the child panics, wobbles and may even fall.

At such times when we feel spiritually "down," that is often because God is letting go, giving us the great gift of independence. In some ways, these are the times when we can actually grow the most. For if we can move ourselves just a little bit forward, we truly acquire a level of sanctity that is ours forever.

Here is a practical tool to help pull you out of the doldrums. The Sefer HaChinuch speaks about a great principle in spiritual growth: "The external awakens the internal." This means that although we may not experience immediate feelings of closeness to God, eventually, by continuing to conduct ourselves in such a manner, this physical behavior will have an impact on our spiritual selves and will help us succeed. (A similar idea is discussed by psychologists who say: "Smile and you will feel happy.")

That is the power of Torah commandments. Even if we may not feel like giving charity or praying at this particular moment, by having a "mitzvah" obligation to do so, we are in a framework to become inspired. At that point we can infuse that act of charity or prayer with all the meaning and lift it can provide. But if we'd wait until being inspired, we might be waiting a very long time.

May the Almighty bless you with the clarity to see your progress, and may you do so with joy.

In 1940, a boatload 1,600 Jewish immigrants fleeing Hitler's ovens was denied entry into the port of Haifa; the British deported them to the island of Mauritius. At the time, the British had acceded to Arab demands and restricted Jewish immigration into Palestine. The urgent plight of European Jewry generated an "illegal" immigration movement, but the British were vigilant in denying entry. Some ships, such as the Struma, sunk and their hundreds of passengers killed.

If you seize too much, you are left with nothing. If you take less, you may retain it (Rosh Hashanah 4b).

Sometimes our appetites are insatiable; more accurately, we act as though they were insatiable. The Midrash states that a person may never be satisfied. "If he has one hundred, he wants two hundred. If he gets two hundred, he wants four hundred" (Koheles Rabbah 1:34). How often have we seen people whose insatiable desire for material wealth resulted in their losing everything, much like the gambler whose constant urge to win results in total loss.

People's bodies are finite, and their actual needs are limited. The endless pursuit for more wealth than they can use is nothing more than an elusive belief that they can live forever (Psalms 49:10).

The one part of us which is indeed infinite is our neshamah (soul), which, being of Divine origin, can crave and achieve infinity and eternity, and such craving is characteristic of spiritual growth.

How strange that we tend to give the body much more than it can possibly handle, and the neshamah so much less than it needs!